Six athletes to be recruited into new national weightlifting team

KUALA LUMPUR − A total of six athletes will be absorbed into the national weightlifting team effective January 3 next year to represent the country at the Hanoi SEA Games and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022.

Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (MWF) president Datuk Ayub Rahmat said the new faces were Mohamad Aniq Kasdan, who will compete in the 55kg category, Muhamad Aznil Bidin (61kg), Muhammad Erry Hidayat (73kg), Mohd Nasir Roslan (81kg), Muhammad Hafiz Shamsuddin (109kg and above) and female athlete Elly Cassendre Engelbert (55kg).

“Another female athlete will be called up after an examination following treatment by the National Sports Institute due to injuries suffered,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Ayub said the formation of the new team, which was also agreed by the National Sports Council (MSN) in a meeting on Sunday, will also see the appointment of an international and local coach, who will be named soon.

Meanwhile, he said the MWF took note of the four-year suspension issued against two national athletes following a doping issue and had full faith in the Malaysian Anti-Doping Agency’s capability in handling the case.

Yesterday, the Youth and Sports Ministry said that the two athletes − Muhammad Azroy Hazalwafie Izhar Ahmad and Muhammad Ikram Haikal Mohd Zuari − were suspended from participating in any sports competitions for four years over the use of prohibited substances.

Following the doping issue, the MWF and MSN had agreed to dissolve the existing squad, which saw all four coaches and 13 athletes involved given notice to have their contracts effectively terminated from November 1. – Bernama, December 22, 2021